About The Studio Journal
The Transformation You Can Expect from Life Reconnection Signature Program — Back to Your Senses
✔ Reconnect with your true self
✔ Gain clarity on what to focus on
✔ Feel empowered to make bold decisions
✔ Take aligned action toward meaningful change
The Studio Journal was born during a sabbatical that became something much deeper—a turning point. What began as a pause from routine turned into a journey of unlearning, rediscovery, and reconnection. I wandered, I listened, I wrote. I stepped into unfamiliar places—both on the map and within myself.
This journal is a space to share what I’ve gathered along the way. It holds reflections from the road, questions from the quiet moments, and the stories that shape how we travel, live, and grow. You’ll find pieces of my journey here, but also prompts, insights, and encouragement for your own.
Because transformation doesn’t happen all at once. It happens in the in-between. And this is a place for that.
Seeking Answers
Mirka Kristiina Bruun, travel coach, in nature during a Finnish Happiness reflection walk.
Transformative travel coach and founder of The Journey Studio, smiles warmly while leaning on a wooden railing at dusk. Soft evening light highlights her face as Mediterranean pine trees rise behind her, capturing a moment of calm presence and the ease that nature brings.
I still get lost sometimes and need to return to my nature trails to reconnect. Even in the excitement of building something new, there is a mountain of tasks waiting, not always favourites, yet necessary.
What Is Weighing on Me?
This week, between pitching competitions where I got to speak about my Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® method, the way to Finnish Happiness, to the finals and receive supportive feedback from wellness-tourism leaders, I found myself wondering: What is weighing on me?
There is the pressure of things undone, the constant whisper to do more, the old feeling, shared by so many of us, that we still need to prove something. Even after letting go, the echo returns. In conversations this week, we explored that balance: how to stay engaged without losing ourselves, how to understand what is “enough,” and how to find a renewed sense of meaning and direction.
When I Return to the Trail
Every time I return to a trail intentionally and start listening to the nature around me, something shifts.
The stormy waves inside quiet down.
A pigeon lands and meets my gaze.
A poster on a wall brings back a memory of who I used to be.
When I note down the intuitive thoughts that arise, I begin to see what is missing, why I feel the way I do, and what needs to be released or added to feel whole again.
Nature Shows Us the Way
Nature shows us the way if we choose to listen.
But when we are burned out, overwhelmed or moving through transitions, we often don’t hear anything at all. We operate in a trance, not fully present in our own lives.
We need to break that cycle. Step out.
Travel helps awaken the senses and shift perspective, but we are not always able to travel far. In the end, it wasn’t the height of Machu Picchu that changed me. It was the depth I needed. Myself I sought.
About Luontopolku Back to Your Senses®
The Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® method I developed during my Travel Coach studies doesn’t require distance. It requires listening.
In Finland, we say:
“The forest answers what you shout into it.”
Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® is a nature-based transformational wellbeing and travel method that guides individuals back to clarity and inner balance. Rooted in mindful presence, nature practices and reflective guidance, it offers a structured yet intuitive pathway toward emotional renewal and meaningful change.
Finnish research shows that even 10 minutes in nature calms the heartbeat. Nature walks lower cortisol, support burnout recovery, prevent depression and increase mindfulness.
Luontopolku, nature trail in Finnish, draws from ancestral knowledge, Finnish science and global wellness insights, including the principles of Japanese forest bathing.
Slowing Down to Listen
Meaningful change happens when we slow down, tune in and allow nature to support our inner journey. Through movement, reflective exercises, sensory awareness and meaning-centered travel coaching, Luontopolku becomes a gentle companion toward self-understanding and inner clarity.
By following the steps in the Luontopolku® guide, you begin by asking what you wish clarity on. Then you step into nature, holding the question lightly.
Magic happens: answers appear in leaves, patterns, symbols.
You pause. You listen.
You write down the intuitive thoughts that surface.
The more intentionally we return to nature, the clearer the inner voice becomes.
A Path You Always Walk With Yourself
At 54, I gained the courage to change my life.
And so can you.
You are always journeying with yourself: listen closely to know when to stay on your path, or when it’s time to turn.
Wishing you a wonderfully slow weekend.
Take a mindful walk.
And if you feel called to explore your personal journey through a guided session, online or as a reflective Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® walk, you’re warmly welcome to make a booking.
Care for Yourself
A warm cup of coffee resting on a wooden pier, overlooking the tranquil waters of Lake Saimaa. Morning light shimmers on the lake, inviting a moment of calm, reflection, and connection with oneself.
We often feel responsible for everyone but ourselves. We take care of children, family, spouse, parents, and work. At work, we leave nothing unfinished and ensure others have answers; at home, we make sure everyone else takes their breaks.
It’s admirable to be reliable, the person everyone can turn to but who do you turn to? Who allows the leave for you? There may even be the option: adequate holidays, understanding supervisors who won’t push you for yet another achievement—but do you allow yourself to take it?
Fear Wears Many Faces
Fear can appear as being unheard, missing out, becoming left out, forgotten. Perhaps the hardest: facing yourself without structure, after so long taking care of others, managing responsibilities, following routines.
Being alone with your thoughts can feel bewildering, yet it’s here you can start listening. You can question the weight in your backpack and ask yourself:
“Do I really need to carry all this anymore?”
Start Gently
Care for yourself a little at a time.
Pay attention. Turn your ear to the journey waiting. Accept that you also need time, space, and peace.
Allow yourself to unwind in ways that feel natural. Travel and leisure trips are not challenges to conquer, achievements to measure, or races to win.
Beauty lives in the moments in between, in the truths hidden under ordinary stones. Mindful walks in nature, strolling through an unfamiliar street on a work trip, turning your gaze inward all can spark small aha moments, giving depth and clarity to your reflections.
Time is precious. Connecting with yourself begins the journey toward your natural calling. It may smoothen your experience where you are or eventually lead you somewhere entirely new but the most important thing is that you are steering.
Walking Together
As a certified travel coach and fellow traveler, I walk with people who are questioning the weight of their backpack and what to carry forward.
The journey is yours, and I’m here for the moments you need. I’ll walk alongside as you map where you wish to go using travel as your vehicle.
Pause. Reflect. Consider what you truly want.
Together, we can plan your journey back to your senses whether it’s a personal reflection path, a solo adventure you long to embark on, or a wellness retreat where you wish to immerse fully. Just book a discovery call to chat about your desires.